Ski carrier strap device

ABSTRACT

A strap device convertible from a waist belt to a ski carrier and vice versa, comprises a single strap which is continuous in its length from one end to the other. A buckle member of mating buckle means, such as a hook and eye buckle, is attached to one end of the strap, and at least one length adjustment slide is attached to the strap for sliding positional adjustment along the length thereof. The other end of the strap is attached to the length adjustment slide thereby forming a first loop of adjustable size. A second buckle member of the mating buckle means is positioned with the length adjustment slide for movement therewith and is adapted to releasably engage the buckle member on the first-mentioned end of the strap to form a second loop of adjustable size. When two length adjustment slides are attached to the strap, the other end of the strap is attached to the slide nearest the end, and the second buckle member is positioned with the other slide. A third buckle member is slidably attached to the portion of the strap that forms the first loop, for free sliding movement therealong within the confines of such loop. In using the strap to carry a pair of skis, the second loop is formed and fastened around the pair of skis so as to hold the skis together in parallel relationship as a unitary bundle and to present the first loop as a handle for lifting and carrying the ski bundle. The first loop is normally placed over a shoulder of the skier, so that the pair of skis is carried in a convenient position at the skier&#39;&#39;s side, either horizontally or vertically. The strap device is reconvertible to a waist belt by unbuckling the second loop, adjusting the size of the first loop, and attaching the first-mentioned buckle member to the third buckle member.

nite States Patent [191 ogensen, Jr.

[111 3,841,542 Oct. 15, 1974 1 SKI CARRIER STRAP DEVICE Philip C.Hogensen, .lr., 1924 Waystaff Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah 841 17 [22]Filed: June 6, 11973 [21] Appl. No.: 367,446

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 224/5 Z, 2/312, 2/338,

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-Jerold M.Forsberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmMallinckrodt & Mallinckrodt [5 7]ABSTRACT A strap device convertible from a waist belt to a ski carrierand vice versa, comprises a single strap which is continuous in itslength from one end to the other. A buckle member of mating bucklemeans, such as a hook and eye buckle, is attached to one end of thestrap, and at least one length adjustment slide is attached to the strapfor sliding positional adjustment along the length thereof. The otherend of the strap is attached to the length adjustment slide therebyforming a first loop of adjustable size. A second buckle member of themating buckle means is positioned with the length adjustment slide formovement therewith and is adapted to releasably engage the buckle memheron the first-mentioned end of the strap to form a second loop ofadjustable size. When two length adjustment slides are attached to thestrap, the other end of the strap is attached to the slide nearest theend, and the second buckle member is positioned with the other slide. Athird buckle member is slidably attached to the portion of the strapthat forms the first loop, for free sliding movement therealong withinthe confines of such loop. In using the strap to carry a pair of skis,the second loop is formed and fastened around the pair of skis so as tohold the skis together in parallel relationship as a unitary bundle andto present the first loop as a handle for lifting and carrying the skibundle. The first loop is normally placed over a shoulder of the skier,so that the pair of skis is carried in a convenient position at theskiers side, either horizontally or vertically. The strap device isreconvertible to a waist belt by unbuckling the second loop, adjustingthe size of the first loop, and attaching the firstmentioned bucklemember to the third buckle memher.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIE am 1 51m SHEET 1!]? 2.

1 SKI CARRIER STRAP DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field:

The invention is concerned with devices used by skiers to carry theirskis.

2. Prior Art:

A ski-carrier is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,530,695 which comprises acentral strap having buckle straps pivotally connected, respectively, toopposite ends of the central strap. Each buckle strap is looped and fas-SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improvedstrap device for carrying a pair of skis, wherein a single strap withbuckle members and a length adjustment slide is adapted to form twoloops, one of which loops can encircle and be fastened around the pairof skis near the midpoint thereof and the other can be slung over ashoulder of the skier for convenient carrying of the skis in eitherhorizontal or vertical position as desired. There is only a single pointof suspension between skis and skier in contradistinction to the usualtwo point suspension.

The strap device of this invention utilizes a length of suitable strapmaterial, such as fabric webbing, having a buckle member of a matingbuckle means, such as a hook and eye buckle, attached to one endthereof. A length adjustment slide is attached to the strap for slidingpositional adjustment along the length thereof. The other end of thestrap is attached to the length adjustment slide so that the portion ofthe strap between that end thereof and the length adjustment slide formsa first loop of adjustable size. A second buckle member of the matingbuckle means is positioned with the length adjustment slide for movementtherewith and is adapted to releasably engage the buckle member on thefirst-mentioned end of the strap, whereby the portion of the strapbetween the length adjustment slide and the first-mentioned end thereofforms a second loop of adjustable size.

In a somewhat different arrangement of the device according to theinvention, two length adjustment slides are attached to the strap forsliding positional adjustment along the length thereof. The bucklemember is attached to one end of the strap as described above. The otherend of the strap is attached to the length adjustment slide nearest toit, thereby forming a first loop of adjustable size. The second bucklemember is positioned with the other length adjustment slide and isadapted to releasably engage the buckle member on the first-mentionedend of the strap, whereby the portion of the strap between the otherlength adjustment slide and the first-mentioned end thereof forms asecond loop of adjustable size.

In both of the above mentioned embodiments, a third buckle member of themating buckle means is slidably attached to the portion of the strapthat forms the first loop, for free sliding movement therealong withinthe confines of such loop. The third buckle member is adapted toreleasably engage the first-mentioned buckle member to form the strapdevice into a waist belt of adjustable size.

The device is used as a ski-carrier by forming and fastening the secondloop around a pair of skis so as to hold the skis together in parallelrelationship as a unitary bundle and to present the first loop as ahandle for lifting and carrying the ski bundle. The first loop isnormally placed over a shoulder of the skier, so that the pair of skisis carried in a convenient position at the skiers side, eitherhorizontally or vertically. The strap is reconvertible thereafter to awaist belt by disconnecting the second loop, adjusting the size of thefirst loop, and attaching the first-mentioned buckle member to the thirdbuckle member.

THE DRAWINGS The embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawingsrepresent the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out theinvention, although it is recognized that the inventive concepts heretaught can be utilized in a variety of specific forms within the scopeof the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view showing a skier carrying a pair of skis and apair of ski poles in horizontal position by means of the strap device ofthe invention;

FIG. 2, a similar view showing the skier wearing the I strap device as awaist belt;

FIG. 3, a perspective view of the strap device per se buckled as a waistbelt, intermediate parts of the strap being broken out for convenienceof illustration;

FIG. 4, a similar view of the strap device buckled as a ski-carrier;

FIG. 5, an elevational view of the strap device unbuckled and extendedlengthwise, intermediate parts of the strap being broken out.

FIG. 6, atop plan view of the strap device as shown in FIG. 5 andadditionally illustrating in broken lines how it is looped and buckledas a waist belt;

FIG. 7, a similar view of the strap device with the shoulder loopextended and illustrating in broken lines how the device is looped andbuckled as a ski carrier; and

FIG. 8, a fragmentary view corresponding to the lower part of FIG. 4 butshowing a somewhat different length adjustment slide arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS In its illustratedform, the device of the invention comprises a single strap 10 which iscontinuous in its length from one end to the other end thereof. A bucklemember 11, shown as the eye member of a hook and eye buckle, is attachedto one end portion 10a of the strap. The end portion 10b of the strap isattached to the center bar 12 of a length adjustment slide 13, which is,in turn, slidably attached to the strap so that it can be movedtherealong to adjust effective strap length.

The part of strap 10 between slide 13 and strap end portion 10a forms aloop 14 of size dependent upon the position of slide 13. As shown inFIGS. l7, a second buckle member 15, shown as the hook member of a hookand eye buckle, is anchored at length adjustment slide 13 by the endportion 10b of strap 10 which is looped about center bar 12 of slide 13.Buckle member 15 could, of course, be anchored at or to slide 13 invarious other ways; for example, it could be attached directly to slide13, as by welding, or slide 13 could be constructed such that buckle 15is an integral part thereof. All that is required, is for buckle member15 to be positioned adjacent slide 13 so as to be moveable therewithalong strap 10.

The second buckle member 15 is adapted to releasably engage thefirst-mentioned buckle member 11 to thereby form a second loop 16 ofadjustable size. In the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, the sizesof loops 14 and 16 are dependent on the position of slide 13. As slide13 is moved, the size of one of the loops increases and the size of theother decreases.

A somewhat different arrangement of the buckle is shown in FIG. 8,wherein the sizes of the respective loops 14 and 16 are, to a limitedextent, independent of each other. In this arrangement, the end portionb of strap 10 is connected to slide 13 to form a loop 14 as describedabove for the arrangement of FIGS. 1-7. However, in the arrangement ofFIG. 8, a second slide 17 is attached to strap 10 for sliding movementalong that portion thereof that lies between the first slide 13 and theother end portion 10a of the strap. The second buckle member is anchoredat or to the second slide 17, so that the size of loop 16 can beadjusted without affecting the size of loop 14, and conversely, the sizeof loop 14 can be adjusted without affecting the size of loop 16.

In both arrangements, a third buckle member 18 is slidably attached tothe portion of strap 10 which forms loop 14, for free sliding movementtherealong within the confines of loop 14. Buckle member 18 is used whenthe device is formed into a waist belt as will be further describedhereinafter.

Use of the device as a ski-carrier is shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, whereinthe first-mentioned buckle member 11, which is attached to end portion10a of strap 10, is releasably engaged with the second buckle member 15to form loop 16. As shown in FIG. 1, loop 16 is formed and fastenedaround a pair of skis so as to hold the skis together in parallelrelationship as a unitary bundle 19. Loop 14 is then presented as ahandle for lifting and carrying the ski bundle. Ski poles areconveniently carried along with the skis 19 in customary manner. In FIG.1, loop 14 is shown placed over the skiers shoulder so that the skibundle 19 is carried in a horizontal position at the skiers side. Theskis could as well be carried in a vertical position.

Use of the device as a waist belt is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For suchuse following its use as a ski carrier, loop 14 is adjusted to increasethe total length of the device, and buckle member 11 is attached tobuckle member 18 for buckling the belt about the waist of the skier.

Whereas the invention is here specifically illustrated and describedwith respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understoodthat this merely represents the best mode presently contemplated ofcarrying out the invention and that variations may be made withoutdeparting from the claimed inventive concepts taught herein.

I claim:

1. A strap device convertible from a waist belt to a ski-carrier andvice versa, comprising a single strap continuous in length from one endto the other; a pair of mating buckle members with one buckle memberthereof attached to one end portion of said strap; length adjustmentslide means attached to said strap for sliding positional adjustmentalong the length thereof; means attaching the other end of said strap tosaid slide means to form a first loop of adjustable size; the secondbuckle member of said pair being positioned with said slide means, saidslide means comprising a single length adjustment slide with which thesecond buckle member is positioned for movement therewith, and said onebuckle member being adapted to releasably engage said second bucklemember to form a second loop of adjustable size; and a third bucklemember adapted to mate with said one buckle member and being slidablyattached to said strap within the extent of the first loop for slidingmovement thereon, said device being capable of use as a ski-carrier byforming one of said loops around a pair of skis, which are positionedtogether in parallel relationship as a unitary bundle, and to presentthe other loop as a handle for lifting and carrying the ski bundle, andsaid device being capable of use as a waist belt thereafter bydisconnecting said one buckle member and said second buckle member andby engaging said one buckle member with said third buckle member.

2. A strap device as defined by claim 1 wherein the mating bucklemembers are of book and eye formation. l

1. A strap device convertible from a waist belt to a ski-carrier andvice versa, comprising a single strap continuous in length from one endto the other; a pair of mating buckle members with one buckle memberthereof aTtached to one end portion of said strap; length adjustmentslide means attached to said strap for sliding positional adjustmentalong the length thereof; means attaching the other end of said strap tosaid slide means to form a first loop of adjustable size; the secondbuckle member of said pair being positioned with said slide means, saidslide means comprising a single length adjustment slide with which thesecond buckle member is positioned for movement therewith, and said onebuckle member being adapted to releasably engage said second bucklemember to form a second loop of adjustable size; and a third bucklemember adapted to mate with said one buckle member and being slidablyattached to said strap within the extent of the first loop for slidingmovement thereon, said device being capable of use as a ski-carrier byforming one of said loops around a pair of skis, which are positionedtogether in parallel relationship as a unitary bundle, and to presentthe other loop as a handle for lifting and carrying the ski bundle, andsaid device being capable of use as a waist belt thereafter bydisconnecting said one buckle member and said second buckle member andby engaging said one buckle member with said third buckle member.
 2. Astrap device as defined by claim 1 wherein the mating buckle members areof hook and eye formation.